In recent years, the abduction of students has become a common occurrence in northern Nigeria. The trend has been particularly prevalent in remote parts of northwest Nigeria, where armed gangs have been carrying out violent attacks against villagers, schools, and motorists. These gangs have abducted hundreds of people for ransom, including students from secondary schools.
On Tuesday, authorities in Nigeria’s northern Kaduna state reported that gunmen had kidnapped eight secondary school students who were on their way home from school. The kidnappers also abducted an unknown number of others. Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for internal security in Kaduna, said that the students were from Awon Government Secondary School in the Kachia local government area. It is not yet known where the students have been taken, but it is likely that they are being held in the forests until a ransom is paid.
This incident is just the latest in a wave of kidnappings that have taken place in northern Nigeria over the last decade. The situation has become so serious that it is now one of the major issues facing Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Tinubu, who is due to be sworn in in May. Nigeria’s military has been fighting armed groups like Boko Haram in the northeast, which has left it thinly stretched to tackle the kidnapping gangs known locally as bandits.
Many of these bandits are believed to be ethnic Fulanis, including pastoralists and mercenaries from the region as well as neighbouring Chad and the Niger Republic. They have kidnapped schoolchildren in various parts of Nigeria’s Niger, Kebbi, and Yobe states, as well as other victims ranging across all social classes, from politicians and relatives to clerics, security guards, and farmers.
The situation is particularly worrying for parents and families of students in northern Nigeria. Many are now afraid to send their children to school for fear of them being kidnapped. This has led to a decline in enrolment rates in some areas, which could have long-term implications for the education system in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has been trying to tackle the problem of kidnapping in northern Nigeria, but progress has been slow. In some cases, the government has negotiated with kidnappers to secure the release of hostages, but this has been controversial, as it is seen by some as rewarding criminal behaviour.
There have also been calls for the government to take a more proactive approach to tackling the root causes of kidnapping in northern Nigeria. This could involve addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment, and social inequality, which are believed to be driving some people into criminal activities.
In the meantime, parents and families of students in northern Nigeria will continue to live in fear of their loved ones being kidnapped. The situation is a stark reminder of the challenges facing Nigeria’s new president and the need for urgent action to address the issue of insecurity in the country.